In the Eyes of Tali
by NCIS Obsession
Summary: How often do you take a minute to see things from the perspective of a little child? This story views the events of 13x24 "Family First" (and MORE!) from the viewpoint of little Tali. While many often focus on the thoughts and emotions of her parents, Tony and Ziva, why not dig into what she is experiencing when suddenly, her entire world is turned upside-down? Tivali.
1. Chapter 1: A Life Begun

**Well hello again! Since NCIS is not on this week due to the election, I found myself with some spare time and decided to write up the story that started nagging at the back of my mind last night. (I actually wrote a lot of this on my phone because I couldn't sleep, so there's that).**

 **Anyway, this is a format of story I have never tried before, and I've never seen it done before either! Because of that, I am terribly unsure of what I have written, but I** _ **think**_ **it is cool. As you'll soon notice, it is written from Tali's perspective, starting right at the beginning.**

 **I really hope you enjoy!**

 **In the Eyes of Tali: Chapter 1**

Her eyes opened timidly, blinking a few times to get used to the bright light. A cry escaped her mouth as her skin felt the rush of cold air for the first time. She could hear faint noises. Words. They sounded familiar somehow. Her eyes squeezed shut against the blinding light.

Soon enough, she was being wrapped tightly in a soft blanket. Thank goodness. Out in the open, it had felt like she was falling, with nothing there to ground her. Then she felt the warmth return as a familiar scent surrounded her. Gravity tugged at her as she was lifted into the air, only to be deposited into the warm arms of some person. She knew this person. But how? Who was it? Where was she?

Again, her eyes flickered open, this time adjusting to the light a little better. Hovering above her was a woman. She had beautiful, brown, unruly hair, with chocolate eyes to match. She felt herself calm as she quietly observed the woman. Tears were pooling in the woman's eyes as she looked down at her.

She liked this person, whoever she was. She felt so safe and happy lying there in her arms. The woman smiled.

"Hello, Tali," she said in a tearful voice, bringing her lips to her forehead for a soft kiss. "Welcome to the world, little one."

The house around her blurred as sleep summoned her, the gentle rocking motion making it difficult for her to keep her eyes open. As her eyes fell shut, she memorized the face of the beautiful woman who was holding her. "Tali" she had called her. Tali wondered what the woman's name was. She would find out soon enough. For now though, she was very sleepy. She let herself fall into a peaceful sleep in the arms of the beautiful brown-haired woman, curious and excited to see what this new world was like.

-.-.-

It turned out, the woman's name was Ima.

Tali had figured this out because when she had felt an unfamiliar rumble in her tummy, causing her to cry out in discomfort and fear, the woman had rushed over to her, whispering "Ima is here, motek, Ima is here." And then she made it all better.

A few minutes later, with her belly full and her heart overflowing with love and happiness, Tali fell back asleep in her Ima's arms. She would take care of her. She just knew it.

-.-.-

A little time passed, and Tali was learning a lot! She had seen many new faces recently, but the only one she really felt comfortable with was Ima. Ima was always there for her, no matter what the sky looked like outside. Sometimes it was dark, and sometimes it was light. Ima called the light "morning" and the dark "night time." Sometimes she called the dark "sleepy time," but that confused Tali. Sometimes she didn't _want_ to sleep when it was dark outside. And sometimes she wanted to sleep when it was light. Silly Ima.

One of the people she met was a nice older woman called Doda Nettie, and also a very old man called Shmeil. They brought her fun things to play with and to put in her mouth. They were so soft and squishy, Tali could play with them and snuggle with them for hours. Her favorite by far had to be her Kelev. That is what Ima had called it. Ima said that it was from someone named Abba, and Tali thought it was silly when Ima would make funny noises that sounded like Kelev, and then tickle her tummy with his plush nose.

That was the other person Ima had introduced her to: Abba. He was very small and he didn't move or speak. He sat on the table next to her crib, always smiling at her. Ima was there too, and she was also very small. They seemed happy, and it looked like Ima was hugging Abba. That was nice. Ima had the best hugs. No wonder Abba always looked so happy.

Ima talked about Abba a lot. She made lots of silly faces when she told Tali stories about him, and she always told her how much her Abba loves her. Tali wondered why he never talked to her like Ima did.

-.-.-

More time had passed, and Tali was growing. She could sit up all by herself now, except when Ima made her giggle so much that she tipped over. Ima was so much fun to play with. She was always so happy, and that made Tali happy too.

Well, except for one day when Tali had first tried to smile at her Ima. She tried to move her mouth like the shape her Ima's mouth made when she was happy, and she thought she had it figured out until Ima started crying.

Did she do it wrong? She thought she had done it just like Abba did. After all, she spent night after night looking at his smiling face by her crib. Maybe she should look at it some more...

Her smile was wiped off her face and replaced with a deep frown as she felt tears pool in her little eyes at the sight of her distressed Ima. Please don't cry, Ima.

Ima wrapped her in her arms and instantly made her feel better. She could feel the soft thumping of her Ima's chest as she sniffled into her shoulder.

"I am sorry, Tali," Ima said softly into her ear. "I am so sorry." She planted a kiss on Tali's head as Tali grabbed a fist full of Ima's shirt.

"I should have told him."

-.-.-

Bedtime was the best. Ima would tell her all kinds of stories about a place called NCIS and of all her friends there. Sometimes she even showed her pictures, which she let Tali point to and touch!

It turns out, Abba wasn't a tiny man that never moved and always sat on her bedside table after all!-that had just been a picture, just like the many that Tali now held in her chubby hands. He was in so many of her pictures, and Tali loved to point to him whenever she found him in one. She could even say his name! Well, pretty much. It was hard to figure out, but Ima looked so proud whenever Tali managed to say "Ah...BAH!" Ima had cried the first time she did it. That happened quite a bit when she talked about Abba, but Tali didn't understand why.

One time, Ima had shown Tali a moving picture of Abba. He was still tiny, but he talked! He was being very silly, dancing around a big orange room with the man Ima called "McGee." Abba had a nice voice, and he looked like he would be very fun to play with. Tali figured he had really nice hugs too, just like Ima.

After the pictures, Ima always told Tali to give Abba a kiss goodnight, and Tali placed her lips on the picture frame by her bed just like Ima had shown her how to do. She couldn't quite make the kissy sound yet, but it brought a smile to Ima's face anyway.

Then it had been time to go to sleep, and Tali dreamt of Abba giving her goodnight kisses just like Ima did. She loved Ima and Abba _so_ much. She was such a lucky girl.

 **And there you have the first chapter. I have more written already, so I should be able to update soon.**

 **For now, give this story a follow if you want to read more, and I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed. Like I said, I have no idea if this form of writing will be effective in conveying the story. And don't worry, we'll get to the events of "Family First" soon enough, so if you haven't seen that yet then I recommend you do before reading more of this.**

 **I never really thought about how Tali viewed all these events until last night, and I found that idea really compelling. I hope you do too.**

 **Thanks for reading (and thanks in advance for reviewing!)**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	2. Chapter 2: Crashing Down

**Updating again already because the first chapter wasn't much to go on and, well, because I can. Enjoy.**

Ima was sad again. Tali could tell. Ima told her that today she was one! Doda Nettie, Shmeil, and Orli had come today, and she got lots of hugs and kisses, along with a bunch of brightly colored boxes with toys inside! Tali was smiling a lot, but sometimes she would look at Ima and Ima would wipe a tear from her face.

"Ima," Tali called out, crawling her way to her and standing so their faces met. Tali smiled and placed her tiny hand on Ima's face, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes in the process. This didn't seem to help. It did the opposite, in fact, and Shmeil had to come comfort Ima while Doda Nettie played with Tali and all her new toys.

Later that day, Tali got to show everybody how she could walk! She had been trying for days, and everyone clapped their hands when she finally managed to make her way from the couch to Ima's open arms. Tali grinned, and Ima smiled warmly before turning her face away.

"My tateleh," Ima said, running her hand through Tali's hair, "You are growing up too fast."

-.-.-

The cooler season passed, and now it was starting to get hot outside again. Sometimes, Ima took Tali to the beach, and they always had so much fun. They played in the sand, and Tali even found some colorful fish in the water! She pointed at them and Ima told her what they were called in English. Tali repeated after her, the new words sounding funny on her tongue.

Tali was getting very good at running around. Ima said that she would give her Abba a run for his money, but Tali didn't know what that meant. It sounded silly, though. Tali always made sure not to run too far from Ima. One time she lost sight of Ima, and she was very, very scared. She never wanted Ima to go away like that again.

-.-.-

"Lai-tov, Abba!" Tali said cheerily, looking up at Ima for confirmation that she had said it right. She was getting better at saying words!

Ima smiled and nodded. "Yes, Tali. That is right. _Layla tov_."

Tali clapped her hands and reached out for the picture frame that Ima was holding so she could give Abba her goodnight kiss. Ima wiped Tali's slobber off the frame with a soft chuckle before slowly moving her own lips to the frame, a far off look shining in her eyes as she placed a gentle kiss on the photograph. Tali giggled. She wasn't tired yet, but Ima looked exhausted.

They settled back into the rocking chair so that Ima could sing her one last lullaby before going to bed. She had the voice of an angel. Tali loved her songs. They made her feel safe and warm.

Ima seemed a little tense tonight. Her embrace seemed tighter and less relaxed than usual, but Tali didn't think much of it. Instead, she snuggled into her chest even tighter, breathing in the calming scent of Ima as she let herself fall asleep, a tiny smile gracing her face.

She barely noticed when Ima put her in the crib. She heard the sound of drawers sliding open and shut and the closet door opening. What was Ima doing? She opened her eyes when Ima slid Kelev out of her tight grip, protesting the loss of her doggy.

"Shh, my love," Ima whispered, running her hand softly through Tali's thick curls. "Go back to sleep." With that, she placed a kiss on Tali's head, and Tali allowed her eyes to close again, content with the presence of Ima instead of Kelev for tonight. Before she fell asleep, she heard a bag being zipped shut and the door to her room open. She was sure that Ima had whispered something to her, but she wasn't sure what it was. She seemed to stand there watching over Tali for a while, before finally turning and leaving the room.

Ani ohevet otcha, Ima. I love you too.

-.-.-

Tali was scared. There was a bright orange light coming from underneath her bedroom door, and the house was really loud. She couldn't see Ima.

She climbed over the railing in her crib and hopped to the floor. "My little ninja," Ima would always say, shaking her head whenever Tali would escape her crib, but today Ima was nowhere to be seen. A big black cloud was filling her room, and it made it hard for Tali to see.

Tears filled her eyes as she flopped to the floor, her screams cancelled out by the roaring sound the house was making. It was getting hotter, too. Why was it so hot?

Finally the door was blasted open and somebody came in. Tali couldn't see who it was, but she hoped they would make the roaring stop. She refused to open her eyes as the person came to her aid. Her hands covered her ears as she screamed for Ima to come save her. She screamed for Abba to save her, but Abba was gone. He wasn't on her bedside table anymore.

The person carried Tali quickly to the window, opening it all the way so that they could squeeze through. The night air was cold, compared to the hot house, but Tali could finally breathe. Her eyes were still squeezed shut. She was afraid to open them, afraid to see what monster was devouring her house. Gentle hands placed her in a stroller. She could hear crying that wasn't her own as the person that had rescued her wrapped her in a hug. If the person had smelled different, Tali would have said that the person that rescued her WAS Ima. But before she knew it, the arms that had been wrapped around her were gone, and she was left feeling even colder and even more afraid than before.

She couldn't see anything as the stroller rolled through the night, bumping over rocks and tree roots. At last, she succumbed to her need for sleep. Her lungs were tired from all the screaming and not being able to breathe, and her face was sticky from all the tears.

Where she was going, she didn't know. Did it matter? It was probably just a bad dream. That was it. Ima would be there soon to wake her up. Then they would have breakfast and play all sorts of games like she had promised to the night before. Ima would be there soon. Ima would be there.

-.-.-

Ima was not there.

When Tali woke up from her deep, fitful sleep, she was in a strange looking tube-shaped room, with lots and lots of chairs. It was kind of like a car, but much, much longer. She looked around, attempting to take in her surroundings, when finally she saw a familiar face. It was Orli.

"Ima?" Tali questioned, drawing Orli's attention to her.

Orli looked sadly at Tali with pursed lips. Tali's brows furrowed. Why wouldn't Orli tell her where Ima was?

"Ima has gone away, Tali," Orli said at last.

Tali didn't understand. Gone away where? When would she be back?

"IMA," Tali demanded, louder this time, causing several strangers nearby to turn their heads at her. Orli looked around uncomfortably, drawing Tali close in an attempt to soothe her. Her hugs weren't nearly as good as Ima's, and Tali began to cry.

Her cries quickly turned into screams. She screamed for Ima, but Orli hardly spoke to her for the rest of the trip. She simply shushed her and tried to calm Tali. After a while, Orli deposited Tali into the arms of somebody Tali didn't know. She must have been friends with Orli, because they talked for a little while before falling silent. This new person wasn't very good at hugging either. Tali just wanted her Ima. But Orli said Ima was gone.

 **Again, reviews are very very very much appreciated. Yes, even constructive criticism. That's the good stuff.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	3. Chapter 3: Uncharted Territory

**Someone take my computer away from me, I've done it again. So much for suspense and waiting for people to actually read my first few chapters. This is the most exciting part that I've been waiting for, so why not post it now, I guess.**

 **Enjoy (again x2)!**

There were lots of adults talking, and Tali understood none of it. The language they were speaking sounded somewhat familiar, but it wasn't the way Ima and Tali usually talked at home.

Orli's friend pushed Tali in the stroller, following behind Orli and another man as they walked into a big brick building. There was some more talking, and soon Tali was in an elevator going up. Her eyes still felt a little puffy from crying so much earlier, but now she was silent. No more tears would come.

When the elevator doors opened, the room seemed familiar. There was something about the color of the walls that made Tali think of her Ima and Abba. She thought she caught a glimpse of her Ima's friend McGee too, before she and Orli were ushered to some stairs.

Orli spoke to her friend quietly. "I think it best that Tali waits outside until we are ready," she was saying as they took the stairs up, Tali now walking with her hand holding tight to Orli's. "This is a lot of new information. We must be careful with how we present it to Agent DiNozzo."

Tali wondered who DiNozzo was. His name sounded silly.

Orli let go of Tali's hand as she bent to look her directly in the eyes. "Everything will be okay now, little one," she said gently with a small smile. "I will be right back."

Tali nodded softly in understanding. With a comforting squeeze of Tali's shoulders, Orli stood and disappeared through a big door, leaving Tali with one of the other adults as they waited patiently. Eventually, the door opened again and Orli's friend stuck his head out, motioning for them to come in.

Tali held tight to the adult's hand, not sure where they were going or how everything could possibly be okay. Once inside the room, she scanned all the new faces of the people inside. Some of them looked vaguely familiar, like an older man with silvery-white hair. And there was Orli, standing next to another man.

He turned his head to look at Tali. Their eyes met.

 _Abba!_ Tali thought, immediately recognizing the man. Sure, he was a lot bigger than his picture, but it had to be him! His mouth opened and closed like a fish, and it reminded Tali of the silly faces Ima used to make. Usually, Tali would laugh, but today she just didn't feel like laughing.

Then the man, _Abba_ , began to cry. His eyes turned away from Tali, and he crouched to his knees as he broke down. Tali wanted to run to him to make him feel better, to give him a hug just like Ima gave him in the picture, but the person she was with clasped her hand tighter and made her stay still. The older man with silver hair took a few steps closer to Tali, looking rather alarmed. Orli simply placed a tentative hand on Abba's shoulder as he cried.

Then he looked back to Tali and she gave him a little smile. He motioned for her to come to him, and Tali wriggled out of the other adult's grasp. She walked shyly but confidently to his side and he pulled her into his arms, burying his head in her soft curls.

 _Oh yes,_ Tali thought, _Abba gives very good hugs._ She hesitantly hugged him back with her tiny arms wrapping around his body. He lifted her up and rocked her back and forth comfortingly as he cried.

Tali was too shocked to speak, but a huge weight lifted off her chest now that she finally had Abba with her. Someone she knew. Someone that loved her, and that she loved. Someone she knew would take care of her.

Maybe he knew where Ima was.

The silver-haired man made his way over to where Tali and Abba were standing. Tali looked over Abba's shoulder and her eyes met with Orli's. Orli smiled at her and gave a nod before politely stepping out of the room, along with her friends. Then the silver-haired man placed a firm hand on Abba's shoulder and Abba turned to him.

"Gibbs," Abba said with a look of panic on his face, tears drying on his cheeks. He gripped Tali tighter, and Tali breathed a sigh of relief at the comfort she was finally getting.

Now she remembered. This was Saba Gibbs, Ima's abba. He looked pretty much the same as in Ima's pictures, but his hair was a little lighter, like Shmeil's. Now that she had calmed down, she understood more of what was being said. She remembered all the English words Ima had taught her, and all the videos they had gotten at the library that spoke in that language. She never did figure out how to say the words like they did in the videos, or like Ima did, but she could tell what they meant most of the time.

Like right now. Abba moved to sit down on a nearby couch, perching Tali on his knee and holding her tight in the crook of his arm. She allowed herself to relax some more, blinking slowly at the two people left in the room with her.

"What do I do, boss?" Abba asked Saba Gibbs, hardly able to keep his eyes off Tali.

Saba Gibbs looked lost, but he quickly recovered his composure. He was quiet, glancing at Tali every few seconds. "You didn't know?" he asked, his voice gruff but gentle.

Abba shook his head and placed a hand over his face, massaging his tear-filled eyes with his fingers. "Why wouldn't Ziva tell me?" he asked in response, his voice shaking slightly. _Ziva._ Tali had heard that name before. That was what Orli and Shmeil called Ima sometimes. Were they talking about Ima?

"We'll get through this, Tony," Saba Gibbs said after a pause, his voice barely above a whisper. "We'll figure everything out."

-.-.-

The next thing Tali knew, there were 5 faces hovering over her. Somehow, she had ended up back in her stroller and she was sitting in another orange room with a big table in it. Abba and Orli were sitting close by, Orli's hand resting atop Abba's on the table.

Satisfied with their proximity to her, Tali allowed herself to study the faces of those that were cooing over her. She was pleased to realize that they were all Ima's friends! There was Abby, McGee, Jimmy, and Ducky! And then one other woman who she didn't recognize, but she let it slide for now.

Her eyes flicked from person to person for a while before it became too much for her and she started to whine. Everyone backed up, apologizing, and Orli started to stand from her chair. Her eyes met Abba's, and she promptly sat back down, nodding understandingly at him. Instead of Orli, Abba came over to her and lifted her out of the stroller. He held her a little awkwardly, but after some adjustment, he was getting the hang of it. Tali thought he smelled very nice, and his hugs were warm and comforting. She relaxed her head on his shoulder again, and Tali heard a few "Awwws" from Ima's friends.

"I can't believe you and Ziva have a baby, Tony!" Abby said, clearly restraining the excitement in her voice. Tali managed to smile weakly at Abby, earning a huge grin in return.

"She is _adorable!_ " Jimmy added, offering a small wave to Tali from afar.

Tony looked down at Tali's face sadly. "Yeah, she is," he agreed.

Ima's friend McGee hadn't said anything yet. He was just standing by the door with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What are you gonna do, Tony?" he eventually asked Abba.

Abba shook his head and clutched Tali a little tighter. "I don't know," he said. "I don't know."

 **Ah, behind the scenes of "Family First." I always felt a little cheated that we never got Tony's first interaction with Tali, just a little "whaaaa?" look and then a *phoof*. So here is what I felt like writing as his first initial reaction.**

 **Let me know what ya think! I think I need to stop for tonight, but hopefully I can write more soon.**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	4. Chapter 4: A Growing Family

**Should I have been writing my essays and preparing for presentations? Yes. Did I write fanfiction for 4 hours straight instead? Absolutely.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

After Saba Gibbs had told Abba to go home, he and Tali made their way out of the building, Tali waving goodbye to Ima's friends as they went. They were nice, but Tali was glad to be going home with Abba. She missed Ima so much, and she kept thinking of her room getting hotter and hotter and not being able to hear her own screams over the roaring sound. It was scary.

Now Orli was helping Abba put her car seat in his car while she sat in her stroller. It was starting to get dark out, but Tali didn't think she could sleep. There were so many new things to see! And she didn't like that every time she closed her eyes, she would think of her house falling apart and Ima being gone. It made her sad.

"Here is her bag, Anthony," Orli said quietly, handing Tali's bag to Abba. Tali had seen that bag. It was the one Ima was packing while Tali was sleeping the night everything happened. "There should be enough food and clothing for a couple days, but you will need to buy some more. I would be happy to help if—"

"That's okay," Abba interrupted. "We'll be fine."

Orli nodded, turning now to Tali. "Be good for Anthony, yes Tali?" she said in Hebrew. Tali nodded, and Orli lightly ruffled her hair with her hand. With one final nod toward Abba, Orli left, and they were all alone.

Minutes seemed to go by before Abba finally moved. He was staring at Tali kind of funny, and he was at least 5 feet away, almost scared to go any closer. Tali cocked her head to the side, observing Abba closely. She sent him a tiny smile, and that seemed to wake him from his trance. He sighed deeply and stepped closer, a small smile coming across his face as well.

"Alright, Tali…" he said, dropping to her level. His eyes fell to the pavement, unable to meet hers. He shook his head slightly before looking back at her. "Let's go home."

-.-.-

The ride back was completely silent, and Tali was starting to get tired. It felt like it should be nap time, but the sky was dark, so she figured it was actually bedtime. Every few seconds, it seemed, Abba's eyes would flick to the rearview mirror, checking on Tali in the back seat. The silence was broken by Abba's phone ringing.

"Hello?... Yeah, Dad, I'm okay… I just—" he sighed and was quiet for a bit, "Actually could you do me a favor?... I need you to go to the store and pick up some baby food and…uh…diapers…" he said hesitantly. "Yeah, diapers… No, I don't know what size… I don't know, just pick a few, I'll pay you back…" Abba shook his head in frustration. "I'll explain when you get home, right now I can't—I gotta… Yeah, okay. See you then."

With that, Abba hung up the phone and the car slipped back into silence. Tali gazed out the window at the passing lights until her vision blurred and the world around her started to disappear as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

-.-.-

Tali's eyes opened sleepily at the sound of Abba's car door closing and hers opening. In her half-awake daze, she saw Abba lean over her car seat and start to unbuckle her, his eyes filled with a far-away look. Tali's heavy blinking continued as he placed his hands under her arms and lifted her out of the car, making sure not to forget her bag. After locking the car, they headed toward a new building. Tali figured it was probably where Abba lived.

At last, they made it inside, and Abba dropped her bag to the floor. Tali was starting to wake up more now, and was looking around in curiosity. The room was very clean. There were no toys anywhere! Abba tried to set her down, but she clutched his shirt tightly so that he wouldn't leave her. Sighing, he lifted her back up and made his way over to a couch where the two promptly sat.

Abba wasn't saying anything, and Tali was perfectly content with the silence. She was happy enough just to be in his arms, cuddling closely to him as the sky turned to black.

After what seemed like a long time, Tali heard a knock on the door. Abba set her down, and this time she let him, watching him as he walked away from her and toward the entryway of the room. When he opened the door, and old man with white hair was standing there, carrying several bags and boxes with him.

"Junior," he said with concern as he stepped inside, "What's going on? Are you alright?"

Abba nodded and moved aside so that the man could enter.

"Oh, who is this little beauty?" the man asked upon noticing Tali sitting there on the couch. Tali thought he looked like a nice old man. She thought she might have seen him in a picture once also, but she couldn't be sure. He had a big smile on his face as he moved closer to her.

Abba came and sat next to Tali once more, taking one quick glance at her before turning back to the other man. "This is…uh…" he paused, "Dad, this is my…daughter."

The older man's smile disappeared instantly and the bags he still held fell to the floor with a clank. "What?" he asked in a choked voice. "You never told me—"

"Yeah, well, neither did Ziva," Abba interrupted in a stern voice. His face crumpled, and he looked down at his hands, at Tali's little feet next to his. "I never should have left her, Dad." Tali noticed a tear spill from his eye, and she leaned in to him, needing the comfort as much as he did.

"Oh, Junior…" the other man said softly, moving to sit next to Abba on the couch.

Abba wiped his eyes. "That whole time, she was pregnant and I should have been there!"

The old man didn't seem to know what to say, because the room was silent for a while. Abba leaned over and put his head in his hands, silent sobs shaking his body. The other man (Abba's dad, Tali was starting to figure out) placed a firm hand on Abba's back, glancing slightly hesitantly at Tali.

"I'll help you through this, Junior, we all will. Me, Gibbs, McGee, Abby, even Bishop."

Abba shook his head firmly. "No…No," he said firmly. "I don't want your help, I want Ziva's. _She_ should be here, it should be _her_. We should be doing this together, it always should have been that way. None of this ever should have happened." Abba was off the couch now, pacing the room and glancing up every few moments to look at Tali, who was very concerned. Abba looked sad, angry, and scared, exactly how Tali was feeling.

The old man stood and walked to Abba, placing a hand on each shoulder and grounding him.

"Listen, I know this is unexpected and the past few days have been a mess, but you have to trust that everything will be okay."

Abba hung his head and silent tears dripped to the ground. Tali's own eyes were watering as she curled up into a ball on the couch. Her lip trembled a little, which did not go unnoticed by Abba's dad.

"You've gotta be here for your daughter, Anthony. She needs you." With that the old man sat down next to Tali and placed a comforting hand on her back, urging her to look up at him. When she did, a small smile was on his face and his eyes looked a little watery as well. "Hello there," he said softly, shaking her tiny hand. "Very pleased to meet you…"

"Tali," Abba finished, looking up at them with red-rimmed eyes. "Her name is Tali."

The old man turned back to Tali, an even bigger smile on his face. "Tali. What a beautiful name for such a beautiful little girl." Tali smiled just a little. "I'm your Grandpa! Can you say Grandpa? Grandpa!"

Now Tali was really smiling. The silly man in front of her seemed so nice. She loved him already.

Abba seemed to have calmed down too, at least a little. "I don't think she speaks English, Dad," he said, coming and kneeling in front of Tali.

The old man, Grandpa, looked back at Tali and made a goofy face. "Well, you'll learn soon enough, won't you?" he said in a sing-songy voice. Tali smiled shyly, retreating further into the couch.

"Will you keep an eye on her for a minute, Dad? I should get the bed set up for her."

Grandpa grinned, tickling Tali's sides a little. "Of course, Junior. I'd be happy to." Abba nodded and stood, making his way toward another room. "Ya know, I always wanted to be a Grandpa," the old man said. Tali wasn't sure who he was talking to. Abba smiled a little before disappearing out of sight.

 **Thank you all so much for the feedback on my last few chapters! I'm glad it is coming across the way I intended (I think).**

 **This chapter for some reason feels like I changed something in my style of writing, but I'm not sure if that's actually the case. It just seems a bit different. IDK. Let me know what you think.**

 **Next chapter will be less of a cry-fest, I promise. It's already written ;)**

 **Make sure to follow and review! Thanks for reading!**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	5. Chapter 5: Just You and Me

**Well, I was going to break this chapter in half, but why not give you all a little longer update? Fun times bonding ahead, and some reminders that this is all still happening during Family First.**

 **Enjoy!**

"Where will you sleep, Junior?" Grandpa asked as Abba reappeared in the living room.

Abba shrugged. "On the floor next to the bed," he answered. "I don't think I should leave her in there alone."

"Listen, son, I can make another trip to the store—"

"You don't have to do that," Abba interrupted.

Grandpa smiled kindly and gave Tali a little bounce on his knees. She was sitting on his lap, remembering now a man Ima used to call 'Senior,' who Grandpa reminded her of. "Don't be silly, Junior, I would be happy to. I've got, what, almost 2 years' worth of spoiling my granddaughter to make up for."

Abba rolled his eyes a little, giving up arguing. "She has enough clothes and blankets for now, but maybe you could bring home a crib. I'll set it up tonight, she doesn't look very tired anymore anyway."

Tali wasn't. She had taken too many naps today to count. And besides, she wanted to spend more time with Abba!

"Alright, Junior, but don't be surprised if I come home with a lot more than just a crib!" Abba chuckled, and Grandpa gave Tali a kiss on the head before setting her down on the ground. "You'll be okay by yourself for a little while?" he asked Abba as he stood with his hand on the doorknob ready to leave.

Abba looked a little uncertain, but he nodded. "Yeah, we'll be fine."

"Call me if you need anything," Grandpa reminded as he stepped outside. "I'll be back soon."

Abba and Tali stood in the living room for a few quiet moments before Abba finally broke the silence. "Guess it's just you and me," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I have an idea, let's go see if there's anything for us to eat in the kitchen, yeah?" Tali nodded eagerly. She was very hungry. Abba started walking and Tali followed behind. Every few seconds Abba would look behind him and make sure she was following. Each time she would give him a smile as she toddled along.

Once they were in the kitchen, Tali hoisted herself up onto a chair at the table and waited for Abba to bring her some food. After opening almost all the cabinets (silly Abba), he finally came back with a bowl full of pretzels in the shape of circles. "Here ya go, eat up."

Tali grinned and stuffed a few in her mouth, chewing noisily. Ima always told her to close her mouth and chew, but now she wasn't here so Tali could get away with it.

Abba chuckled. "Ha, looks like you got my appetite," he said with a smile. "Wanna see something funny?"

Tali's eyes lit up and she looked expectantly at Abba. He grabbed a few pretzels, placing one on each of Tali's fingertips. Tali giggled, wiggling her fingers around. Then Abba grabbed her hand and ate a pretzel off of one of her fingers, making silly "om nom nom" sounds. Tali squealed and held her hand far away so he couldn't eat any more, but Abba got another one anyway.

"Oops," he said, eyes wide in pretend apology. Now Tali was giggling uncontrollably. She hadn't laughed like this since Ima had played similar games with her back at home. Tali shook the pretzels off her fingers and laughed again when Abba made a show of having to clean them up. She really liked playing with Abba. Even though there weren't any toys, there were lots of fun games to play.

"Done with your pretzels?" Abba asked when Tali hadn't eaten one in a while. She had gotten a little distracted with putting as many as possible on her fingers. "Come on, let's go wipe off your hands." He then took Tali to the sink to rinse off the crumbs, holding her awkwardly over it as the cold water ran over her palms.

After setting her down, he took her hand in his and started walking them back to the living room.

"Alright, Tali, let's run to the couch, run run run run!" he said with a silly voice, chasing her into the room. Tali skipped as fast as she could, flopping down on the couch with Abba right behind her.

"The old man you were with before, that's Senior," he explained, though Tali wasn't listening all that much. "He'll be back from the market in a little while…until then, we just…" Tali grinned back at Abba. He looked a little disheveled, but they were having fun.

"Ooh, I've got one," Abba said, cupping his hands to his lips and blowing into them like a balloon. He was making a silly face, his eyes wide as he looked at Tali who was enthralled by this new game. Abba held his cupped hands in front of her, and Tali placed both of her smaller hands on top of his.

"One…two…THREE!" Abba counted, throwing their hands into the air.

"AH!" Tali squealed, grinning and pointing up to where they threw the invisible object.

"Do you see it?" Abba asked, looking up to where Tali was pointing. "Oh, here, it's coming! It's coming back down to us!" he said, turning so that his eyes met Tali's. "AHHH!" Then he and Tali ducked into the couch, covering their heads from the pretend thing that was falling from the sky.

Abba was very good at playing pretend. Tali couldn't wipe the smile off her face. But she wished she did have her favorite toy to play with. Kelev was also very good at playing pretend.

"Kelev!" Tali demanded, looking toward Abba. Abba didn't seem to know what she meant, so Tali repeated it. Ima always let her play with Kelev. Where was Kelev?

"Okay, okay," he said, placing a hand on a squirming Tali as he shushed her whining. "It's okay," he turned his back, rummaging around briefly in Tali's bag before finding the requested stuffed animal. "Is it this?" he asked. Yes it is, Abba! You found it! Tali pointed and nodded, very excited to have her old friend back. She hadn't seen him since Ima had pulled him from her crib and placed him in the bag.

"Kelev is your doggy," Abba said, handing her the toy.

Tali squeezed Kelev tight. "Doggy," she repeated quietly, trying out the word. Now she was starting to get sleepy. Abba was still talking, but Tali laid down and closed her eyes, snuggling her stuffed animal close to her chest.

"Your mom always packed a go-bag."

Then Abba was quiet, and Tali laid on her tummy peering around the room. Abba had a TV! Ima loved watching movies with her when they could. They didn't have a TV at home, but whenever they visited Shmeil or Doda Nettie, they would all watch cartoons together. Tali thought they were magical.

After a while, Abba seemed to snap out of his silence. He noticed Tali wasn't sleeping, but was instead looking all over the room, specifically at the TV.

"You like movies?" Abba asked, his voice quiet. Tali sat up instantly and nodded, babbling about movies in Hebrew. "I'll take that as a yes," he said, walking over to a shelf with lots and lots of movies on it.

Tali followed him, looking up at all the colorful plastic cases in wonder. "I don't really have any, uh, little kid movies," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, "but we can find something on TV."

He and Tali sat back on the couch, Abba flipping through channels with the TV remote before finally settling on one. "Ooh, Finding Nemo just started! You can watch that!" he said. He turned the volume up a little louder and let Tali watch as he dug through Tali's bag.

His head snapped back up, however when the fish named Marlin started screaming for the other fish "Coral." The fishy seemed very scared, and he put his little fins in front of his eyes as he cried. Tali heard a noise from Abba, and turned her head to look at him. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes again, and his lip trembled slightly.

Then Marlin the fish saw a little red egg on the ground. He swam over quickly, looking at it in wonder and cradling it in his fins. Abba looked over to Tali at that moment, a similar look in his eyes. Tali cocked her head to the side in confusion. Why was Abba looking at her like that? Abba pulled her into his arms, holding her close as they watched the scene progress.

" _There there there,"_ the fish spoke softly, _"Daddy's here. Daddy's got you."_ A tear trailed down Abba's cheek.

" _I promise, I will never let anything happen to you."_

Tali felt Abba place a kiss on the top of her head. He sniffled, turning off the TV even though the movie had just started.

"Sorry, Tali. I don't think I can watch that movie tonight," he explained in a broken voice.

-.-.-

Grandpa came back from the store with lots and lots of boxes! Tali wanted to help Abba pull all the pieces of wood out of the big box, but Abba told her to go see what else Grandpa had bought. The living room was covered in plastic bags, with toys and other things of all shapes and sizes.

"You don't think I went overboard, do you Junior?" Grandpa asked as he hauled in the last load of bags. "All the clothes at the store were so cute, it was hard to say no."

Tali heard Abba chuckle from where he was in the bedroom. "I wasn't expecting anything less, Dad."

Curious and excited to see what Grandpa had brought home, Tali bent over the bag closest to her and pulled out an adorable baby doll. It was even nicer than the one she had back home!

"You like that?" Grandpa asked when he noticed Tali sit and hold the baby doll in her arms. "Here, she has a bottle and pacifier too!" Tali immediately started to pretend feed the dolly, grinning widely as she rocked the baby back and forth. Ima always told her that she would be a great big sister one day.

"Boy, she sure has the DiNozzo smile," Grandpa said loud enough that Abba could hear.

Abba appeared in the doorway, smiling softly as he watched Tali play. "Trah!" _Look!_ Tali said, running over to show him her doll.

"Wow, look at that, Tali!" Abba pointed to the toy. "Dolly! Can you say dolly?"

"Doll-ly,"Tali repeated.

Abba smiled and nodded. "That's it! Good job!"

Tali opened several other toys, including a tea set, a doctor's kit, and a princess costume. She also heard him tell Abba that he bought a bunch of movies for Tali to watch. She was very excited.

Soon enough, the living room was cleaned up and Tali's bed was built. Grandpa whispered something to Abba, and Abba ran a hand through his hair before walking over to where Tali was giving her baby doll a check-up with her doctor's kit.

"I think it's past your bedtime," he said, helping to pull the plastic stethoscope off Tali's neck. Tali couldn't argue. It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Abba lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom, saying a quick "night 'night" to Grandpa as they went.

"Goodnight, darling," Grandpa responded with a look of pure happiness on his face.

Abba set Tali on his bed for a moment while he dug through her bag. After a moment he returned with Tali's pajamas in hand. After a much longer diaper change than Tali was used to (Abba couldn't find the baby wipes), he helped her into her pajamas. Then there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Sorry to interrupt, Junior, but I thought you might want these," Grandpa said, poking his head into the room. As he entered, Tali saw a stack full of books in his hands. They were new books she hadn't seen before!

Abba nodded in thanks and Grandpa disappeared again. Tali squirmed until Abba let her down from the bed, and she promptly ran to check out the books that were now sitting on the bedside table. They all had silly pictures on them.

Tali selected one that had a big bear snuggling with a little bear on the cover. The little bear had a tiny pink bow in her hair, and she looked like she was sleeping. Tali loved all kinds of animals, so she was excited to look at this book. Even though she loved watching movies with Shmeil and Doda Nettie, Tali couldn't get enough of reading with Ima before bedtime.

"What do we have here?" Abba said as Tali handed him the book and made her best effort to get back up on the bed. " _Just My Daddy and Me…"_ he read, his voice changing tone and getting quieter. Tali waited expectantly for him to start reading, but he wouldn't stop staring at the cover.

Tali fussed a little, and Abba snapped out of his daze, clearing his throat. "Why don't we pick a different one tonight, Tali," he said, putting the book back on the table. Tali started crying and reaching for the book, which Abba kept out of reach. "How about this one? Tali, let's read this one, okay?" he said in an attempt to calm her down.

Tali looked at the book he now held out and nodded, wiping her eyes. This one looked good too. It had a frog dressed in a ballerina costume. So silly.

Abba read the story, his voice soft and low. It was so different than when Ima would read to her, but she felt just as comfortable and relaxed. She soon felt herself falling asleep as she lay in Abba's lap.

When the book was at its end, Abba pulled Tali to his chest and walked over to the corner where Tali's new crib was. There were new blankets and even some more stuffed animals in it. After laying her down, he placed Kelev in her hands and hesitated only a moment before placing a gentle kiss on her head.

"Layla tov," Tali whispered, peering up at Abba sleepily. Something flashed in his eyes and he was silent for a moment, simply staring in wonder at Tali.

"Buona notte."

 **Eh? Eh? See what I did there? I hope so.**

 **Whew. There was a lot happening in that chapter. Finding Nemo feels (never thought I'd say that), pretzel playtime, and Senior spoiling the heck out of his grandbaby already.**

 **Piecing together what happened in between scenes from this episode is as difficult as it is exciting. It's like a puzzle.**

 **I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter! I can't thank you enough for the response this fanfic has gotten so far already. To each and every reader: thank you.**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	6. Chapter 6: First Day Together

**I wanted to break this one up but there was no good place to do it, so you get an extra long update this time. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving (those of you that celebrate it). I got hardly any homework done over break, yet somehow I had time to write this yesterday after getting back to college. I like to call it "selective procrastination."**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

It was dark. Then suddenly a familiar orange glow flickered throughout the room, intensifying with each passing second. "IMA!" Tali screamed as the room got hotter. Finally, Ima appeared, but each time she stepped forward, Tali and her crib moved a few feet further back. Ima couldn't reach her. The fire was rising higher and higher around her crib, and Tali had to crane her neck to keep Ima in sight. Ima looked scared, and so was Tali.

"IMA!" Tali screamed again, reaching out for her and feeling her hands burn like the time she had accidentally touched the stove when Ima wasn't looking. Ima reached for her but started to disappear. Tali tried to follow, but her feet wouldn't move. She was trapped. Slowly, Ima faded away.

"IMA! IMA!" Tali cried, her voice hoarse from the dark cloud filling the room.

"IMA!"

Suddenly she was sitting up in her crib, eyes wide. She looked all over but saw no trace of the fire she was sure was just there. Then she noticed that this room looked different.

Of course… It was Abba's room, not Tali's. It had just been a bad dream. Tears continued to stream down her face. Ima was still gone.

A gentle voice startled Tali from her sleepy daze. It was Abba. "Shh, Tali, it's okay. I'm here, Tali, I'm here." Tali looked at him and saw the tear stains on his face and dark circles under his eyes. He looked so tired. He was crouching close to the crib, his hand moving hesitantly to stroke her hair. His presence was calming, though it wasn't the person she most wanted to see.

"Ima," Tali said sadly, her lip trembling.

Abba closed his eyes and breathed in a shaky breath before reaching into the crib and pulling Tali close to him. Tali immediately burrowed as far as she could into his chest, feeling her tears start to saturate his t-shirt.

"I know." Abba said, his voice wavering. "I miss her too." He continued to rock Tali back and forth, pressing his hand against her back and holding her snugly in place. It was very comforting. Tali was still clutching Kelev under her arm. He smelled like home. Like Ima.

"I miss her too…"

-.-.-

Tali woke this time to light streaming in through the windows. Abba's arms were still wrapped around her. It seemed they had fallen back asleep together in his bed, which is something Ima hardly ever let her do.

Tali's tummy rumbled. She was very hungry. All the crying and screaming the night before had made her work up an appetite, and she hadn't had all that much to eat before bed.

Abba's chest rose and fell slowly in his peaceful slumber. Tali carefully crawled out of his embrace and turned to face him properly, placing a tiny hand on his shoulder and shaking him gently.

"Ziva?" Abba mumbled, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion, though his eyes remained closed. Slowly, his eyes opened and he sat up slightly. Upon seeing Tali, however, he laid back down and covered his face with one of his hands. "Tali…"

Tali shook him again and her tummy growled, right on cue.

"Guess you're hungry, huh?" Abba said as more of a statement than a question. Tali nodded and Abba sat up with a sigh. "Let's go get some breakfast."

Abba settled Tali in the new high chair Grandpa had bought the night before. As he rummaged through the cabinets to find the baby food, there was a knock on the door. With a glance toward Tali, Abba went to see who was there.

"Palmer," she heard Abba say from a distance. "What are you doing here?"

Palmer was one of Ima's friends that Tali had met the day before, though Ima called him Jimmy. He seemed nice.

"Just figured I'd stop by and see how you're doing," he replied. "Can I come in?" There was some shuffling and soon Tali heard the door close and Abba and Jimmy came into sight. "Mmm, what's for breakfast?" he asked upon seeing Tali in the high chair.

Abba twisted open a small jar and poured its contents into a bowl, stirring it with a tiny fork (which Tali thought was funny. Ima always used a spoon.) "Senior brought home lots of stuff from the store."

Abba sat in front of Tali, scooping up some of the food and holding it out in front of her face. It didn't look very good. She stared right back at Abba instead of taking a bite. He didn't really look like he knew what he was doing. "Tali, you gotta eat, come on," he said. Tali smiled deviously instead of doing what he asked. "Let's try this again." Then he made a silly excited face and flew the fork toward her again. "Look, so yummy! Yummy!"

Again, Tali closed her lips tightly and just stared at the food. Ima always let her have really good food that she made herself. This green stuff looked icky. She leaned away from the food and smiled a little at Abba's exasperated look. Jimmy was laughing a little too. Each time Abba would put the food in front of her, she would grin and pull away, like a game that Abba obviously wasn't interested in playing.

Abba and Jimmy talked for a little while, but Tali wasn't paying much attention until Jimmy came and started talking to her. "Happy Tali! Smart Tali! Strong Tali!" he said, and Tali smiled happily at the compliments.

Abba gave another silly grin, his eyes opened wide as he made yet another attempt at getting Tali to eat the food. Tali babbled and covered her mouth with her hand so she wouldn't have to eat it.

Then Jimmy said exactly what Tali was thinking, calling the food what it was. _Yucky_. He reached into his bag and pulled out a dish of his own and tasted what was inside. "Mmm!" he said, before handing it to Abba. Abba sniffed it tentatively before scooping it up with a spoon and giving it to Tali. Though this stuff looked better, it was fun to play this game with Abba, so Tali just smiled up at him. Abba scratched his head.

Eventually Abba stopped paying attention to her antics since he was busy talking to Jimmy, so Tali decided that the game was over. She couldn't ignore her hunger anymore, so she helped move the spoon to her mouth, taking a bite of the food Jimmy brought her. She waited patiently for Abba to continue feeding her. Now _this_ tasted more like something Ima would make.

After breakfast, Tali watched cartoons on the TV while Abba and Jimmy talked for a while. Jimmy came over to say goodbye before leaving, handing her a plush horse and ruffling her hair before he went. Once he was gone, Abba turned back to her and turned off the TV. "Time to get dressed," he said, helping Tali off the couch. "We're gonna go for a little walk."

Abba put her in a sort of mismatched outfit and set her back in the living room to play with toys while he made a phone call. Soon enough, they were walking through a park with Ima's friend McGee. Tali was sitting in her stroller as they went. The weather here was much cooler than back home with Ima.

McGee and Abba were sitting on a bench while having a conversation. Tali chose to look around at her surroundings. Behind the bench there was a happy family having a picnic. A mommy, a daddy, and two kids. A boy and a girl. Tali wished Ima were here. Then maybe they could all have a picnic just like that.

Her musings were interrupted by McGee asking her a question. "What do you make of all this, Tali, hmm? Daddy taking care of you?" Tali smiled wide in response. He sure was.

He stared at her, lost in thought as he and McGee continued talking. Tali could tell they were talking about Ima. Apparently McGee missed her too.

"I loved her, Tim," Abba eventually said, though it was clearly difficult for him to say. Tali wanted to tell him that Ima loved him too, she always said so, but the words weren't coming to her in English.

After a short phone call, McGee had to leave abruptly and Tali and Abba were left alone again. With all these people coming and going (and Ima added to that list now) Tali was very glad that Abba was always there for her. He wouldn't leave her.

-.-.-

When Tali got back to Abba's house, Grandpa was already there to greet her with a warm hug. She was happy to see the older man again. He always brought her fun things to play with and was very nice.

"Hello, Junior!" he called out cheerfully as Abba followed Tali through the open door.

"Hey dad," Abba replied, parking the stroller by the fireplace and setting her bag down by the couch.

Grandpa placed a little white basket on the coffee table in the living room and took a seat next to it while Tali sat across from him on the couch. "I thought we could have a little tea party," he said as he opened the basket to reveal a very nice tea set, just the right size for Tali. Tali squirmed excitedly in her seat as she looked at the wonderful gift. "Would you get us some tea, son?"

Abba sighed and took the proffered teapot before heading to the kitchen. Grandpa and Tali waited, getting into a surprise tickle fight before they heard him returning. Abba sounded exhausted as he rejoined the little family, teapot in hand.

"I still think you could have gotten away with _pretend_ tea, dad. I don't think she would know the difference." He handed the teapot to Grandpa.

"But _I_ would know, Junior," he replied before turning to Tali. "What does Daddy know about making tea anyway?"

"Please don't—please don't call me that…" Abba said tiredly.

Grandpa hardly paid him any mind as he continued with readying the tea party. "Why not? Embrace it, son, this kid is a DiNozzo all the way!" Abba sighed, placing his head in his hands. Grandpa started to pour the tea into the cup but spilled it all over the floor. Tali had done that one time when she had tried to carry a cup of water outside to water the plants in the garden. Ima had not been very happy then, but they got it all cleaned up and Tali learned her lesson.

"Grab me a wipe out of her bag, will you?" Grandpa asked, and Abba nodded, turning to the bag.

After finding the requested wipe, he pulled a different item out, one that Tali was quite familiar with. He looked at it for a while, confusion lacing his features before asking Grandpa, "What's this?"

Grandpa's eyes settled on the object in question. "Oh, I found that stuffed in the side of her bag," he explained, "I figured you'd seen it before."

Tali's eyes were wide as she studied the beloved photo. "It's…Ima?" she pointed, glancing up at Abba.

He looked down nodded slightly. "Yeah, that's right Tali."

"Ima!" Tali said again.

Abba looked sad as he explained what 'Ima' meant to Grandpa. Tali, however, was busy admiring the picture which he held out so she could see better.

Then her focus changed to the other figure in the picture. "Abba!" she said proudly, looking directly at him.

Abba was startled. He cocked his head and asked, "Tali, what did you say?"

Tali grinned and pointed again at the picture, first at Ima and then at Abba. "Ima!...Abba!"

"Abba?" he repeated, his voice very quiet. Tali nodded, gazing very seriously into his eyes.

Senior seemed to know what that meant. "Daddy."

Abba was giving Tali a very strange look. "Ziva must have told her… She knows me." Of course, Tali knew him. She loved her Abba! Ima made sure that she knew him, even when he had to be far away for so long.

Abba put down the picture frame and reached into his pocket all of a sudden. "You wanna see something?" he asked, "You're gonna like this." And just like that he pulled out a gold necklace, holding it gently in his hands before showing Tali. "Oh yeah, look. This was Ima's."

"Ima's?" Tali repeated.

"Ima's, yeah." Abba clarified.

Tali just loved saying her name. "Ima!" She reached out and touched the beautiful gold chain as Abba spoke.

"This belonged to Ima, and now it's Tali's. Come here." Abba beckoned her closer, carefully placing the necklace around Tali's neck. "There you go." Once it was secure, he leaned back and admired the finished look. His mind seemed to be far away in that moment.

Tali really liked having something of Ima's to hold on to. She fidgeted slightly with the star shape on the end of the necklace as Abba spoke on the phone with McGee. It sounded like he was leaving.

"Tali, sweetheart, I gotta go," he said, kneeling in front of her. He pulled her close, breathing in her scent before placing a kiss on her forehead and standing to head out the door. "I'll be back soon, I promise. Grandpa will look after you." He grabbed something out of a box on his shelf on his way out, placing it on his side. Tali couldn't help but be afraid he was going to leave her too, but she knew deep down that he wouldn't do that. He promised. She would be okay for a while. Maybe she and Grandpa could finish their tea party.

She gave a small, hesitant wave as he disappeared out the door. Now all she could do was wait.

 **Whew! I'm pretty happy with that chapter. I knocked out 3 whole scenes from the show and added stuff that we missed. Looks like we are getting close to the end of the episode, and the beginning of my own rendition of what happens after! *wink, wink***

 **I would love to hear any thoughts you have on this chapter or on the story as a whole!** _ **Constructive**_ **criticism is always welcome in my stories. And don't forget to follow the story to get updates.**

 **Thanks for continuing to read! Sometimes it still baffles me that I post things for complete strangers to read and enjoy. What a crazy concept.**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	7. Chapter 7: Hope

**Okay here's what happened. I reworked this chapter and the next one to go along with canon more, because what I wrote wasn't working and I want to write a Cairo chapter basically. Ziva coming back changed a lot. But don't worry, I won't make Tony wait 3 more years to finally reunite with Ziva forever like the show did. I'm not sure to what extent Sahar will be in this story, but I'll work that out. You may have already read this chapter, but it will look a bit different now. I hope you like the direction this is going!**

 **-.-.-**

The hours that Abba was gone were filled with lots of crazy shenanigans with Grandpa. It started when Tali stuck a bow from her bag in his thin white hair and proceeded to run away giggling. Grandpa then decided it would be a good idea to try to do her hair, but it ended up looking more like a bird's nest than a braid like it was supposed to. After that, Tali found one of Abba's t-shirts in his hamper, a grey one with red letters on it. Her first attempt at putting it on wasn't the greatest… it ended with her head stuck through one of the arm holes, and somehow her leg through the other. Luckily Grandpa was there to straighten it out. The bottom of the shirt reached all the way to the floor, but Tali thought she kind of looked like an angel wearing a robe, so the flapped her little arms all over the living room like they were wings.

The longer Abba was gone, however, the less Tali felt like playing around. Grandpa seemed to sense this, because after a while he flicked on the TV and they settled down to watch a movie. Tali nuzzled into his side as they sat in a comfortable silence. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

She woke to the sound of the doorknob turning. Abba was home! Tali sat up straight and waited impatiently for Abba to appear. The door swung open to reveal a very tired Abba. His eyes brightened a little upon seeing Tali, but the dark circles under his eyes weren't hard to miss.

"ABBA!" Tali shouted, springing off the couch and running to him.

Abba immediately dropped his bags to the floor and sunk down to his knees, scooping Tali into his arms. Tali hugged him tight. She was so glad that he was home.

Abba had his head buried in Tali's (even messier than usual) curls, and Tali could hear him sniff every so often. He was shaking. Grandpa was still sitting silently on the couch.

Tali wanted to say something, but all the chaos from the last few days made it hard for her to think, much less speak English. After what felt like minutes of standing there with Abba in the entryway, she managed a single word. "Okay?" she asked, placing her tiny hand on his cheek.

Abba let out a relieved chuckle, pulling back slightly but keeping Tali close to him. "Yeah, Tali, I'm okay. Everything is okay now."

"So you got him?" Grandpa asked, though Tali didn't know who they were talking about.

Abba nodded and ran a hand through Tali's hair in an attempt to smooth it out. Now that he had a moment to take in his surroundings, he acknowledged the t-shirt Tali was wearing with a slightly amused, slightly sad smile.

"How do you feel?" Grandpa asked.

Abba stood, his hand still firmly grasping Tali's. Tali was grateful for that. She did not want to leave his side any time soon. "I don't know," he answered. "It's strange."

Grandpa sighed. "You know, Junior. You have a chance to do something both Gibbs and I never got to do." Abba's eyes met Grandpa's. "You get the chance to be a great father, something I know I never was, and Gibbs was only able to be for a short while."

Abba squeezed Tali's hand and they moved to the couch where he set her on his lap and ran comforting circles on her back. For his comfort or her own, Tali didn't know. Perhaps both.

"I think I've been ready to be a father for a while now," Abba announced, "I just didn't know it."

Grandpa smiled. "I did."

Abba's hand stopped moving and he was silent for a moment. So many thoughts and emotions passed over his face. "The only problem is, I don't know how to do it without her." His lip trembled slightly.

Grandpa came to sit next to Tali and Abba, placing a hand firmly on Abba's shoulder. "It won't be easy," he said honestly. "And it's not fair that you three never got the chance to be a family." Tali leaned her head back onto Abba's chest. Family. That is what Ima had said they would be one day. Now she wasn't so sure.

"Why did I ever leave her in Israel?" Abba pondered aloud, a tear making its way down his cheek.

"Don't blame yourself, son," Grandpa said.

Abba shook his head. "None of this makes sense."

"It's a lot to take in—"

"No," Abba interrupted, "Why wouldn't she tell me? We tell each other everything! Or at least we did."

Grandpa's voice was laced with something like pity. "Junior—"

Realization came across Abba's face. "And why would Ziva have that picture frame in her go-bag? And Tali's favorite stuffed animal. It's almost like she…"

"Anthony, slow down," Grandpa stopped him. Abba had a crazed sort of look in his eye. "Listen, you're grieving right now. You need to give yourself time to comprehend the last few days. Try to figure out what your future will look like.

Abba ran his hands over his face and leaned back into the couch cushions. "I know," he said, his voice muffled by his hands. "I know."

"Are you going to go back to NCIS?" Grandpa asked after giving Abba a few moments to think.

Abba seemed to surprise himself by the speed at which he answered, "No."

Grandpa nodded in understanding.

"Maybe," Abba amended. "But not as a field agent. I can't do that to Tali. I'm all she's got."

"Take your time. This is a big change."

Abba looked down at Tali, a puzzled look on his face. "I've been thinking about my time off. I want to take Tali to Israel."

Grandpa raised his eyebrows. "Israel?"

"Yeah, I just—I need to see the farmhouse. Something doesn't feel right," Abba said, shaking his head.

"You think Mossad lied?" Grandpa asked.

Abba shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Grandpa looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. "Be careful about what you hope for, Junior," he warned.

Tali was starting to get tired. It was getting dark outside again, and in her defense Abba's t-shirt made for a very comfortable nightgown. It smelled like him. Ima had a very similar shirt that she wore to bed a lot.

"Then what will you do?" Grandpa asked, his voice getting quieter. "What if you don't find anything?"

Abba shook his head, his lip trembling. His expression was pained. "Then I guess I'll have to learn to live without her."

Grandpa's frown was so severe that his entire face sagged, making him look like a sad puppy dog.

"I'll put Tali to bed," Abba said, scooping Tali up off the couch and straightening the oversized t-shirt she wore.

Tali whined a little, pointing toward the picture frame that was currently sitting on the coffee table. That photo had been by her bedside for as long as she could remember. She needed it to be close by so she could sleep.

"Want… Ima!" Tali said. "Say… Night night!" She wanted to say goodnight to Ima, just like she used to do back in Israel with Abba. To give Ima's picture a kiss. Abba stopped in his tracks, sighing heavily. Abba put on a smile, turning back and grabbing the frame like she asked.

"Sure, sweetheart." Abba's eyes were clearly avoiding the photo as he carried Tali to his room where her crib was still set up. Like the night before, Abba sat with Tali on his bed and read her a story, Tali cuddling up against him as her eyelids fell shut.

"Say layla tov to Ima, Tali," Abba said softly, his voice coming out lower and more shaky than usual.

Tali smiled sleepily. It was almost exactly what Ima used to say to her. "Layla tov, Ima." After Tali had placed a kiss on the glass of the frame, Abba set the photo on the bedside table facing her, his hand lingering for a moment before he turned back to Tali.

"Goodnight, Tali." He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, ruffling her hair before stepping back from the crib.

Tali curled up with Kelev in her arms. "Ani ohevet otcha, Abba."

Abba froze, a tiny smile appearing on his lips. "I love you too."

-.-.-

Tali was roused from her sleep by the squeak of a floorboard. She peered out at the still-darkened room to see what had made the noise, and saw Abba pick up the picture of him and Ima. Sitting on his bed, he held the picture in front of him.

He didn't seem to notice that Tali was watching him. The moonlight streaming through the windows illuminated the tears in his eyes as he whispered, "Ziva…" He bowed his head, shoulders slumping. "I'm so sorry." With his thumb, he brushed the front of the frame fondly. The room was silent for a few minutes besides the occasional tearful sniff. It was even silent outside. No sirens or shouting. Peaceful, in a way, for once. Tali was drifting back to sleep when she heard Abba speak again, so soft she could barely make out the words. "Please be okay…" and then, "I love you, Ziva."

Moments later, Abba stood suddenly, seemingly angry at someone. Perhaps at himself. He paced the room as quiet as he could, but it didn't matter. Tali was already awake. She stayed silent, however, as Abba ran a hand through his hair, looking close to tearing it out. "…should have been there," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "…should have told her."

With that, he tossed the picture frame onto the bed. It landed without much of a noise, but Abba seemed to regret throwing it and immediately rushed to pick it up and make sure it wasn't broken. The backing had come off partially, and as he went to fix it, Abba got a curious look in his eye and instead pulled it the rest of the way off. With the picture still in his hands, Abba rushed out of the room.

Tali followed as quickly and quietly as she could, climbing over the raised edge of the crib and landing on her feet on the other side without a sound. She made her way over to the door and peeked out, making sure to stick to the shadows so she wouldn't be seen. Abba was hurriedly prying the photo out of the frame, and Grandpa was sitting up on the sofa bed, squinting against the bright lights Abba had just turned on. They were talking in hushed tones, but Tali could make out what they were saying.

"What does it say, Junior?" Grandpa asked, craning his neck to get a better view.

Abba's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He glanced down at the back of the photograph again and read it aloud.

"Not much, just where the photo was taken. _Paris, 2010. My love._ "

Reading the last words seemed to take his breath away momentarily, and Tali could see tears pooling in his eyes again. Abba was quiet for a bit longer, flashes of hope and then doubt skewing his features. He flipped the photo back and forth over and over, but seemed disappointed when there was nothing else there.

"What is it, son?" Grandpa asked.

Abba sighed. "There has to be more. None of this adds up. This is Ziva's handwriting, meaning this was definitely her copy of the picture. Why would she have this packed away?"

Grandpa had that sad look again, the same one he had when he cautioned Abba against hoping too much for something that might not be true.

"You don't think it's a message from Ziva, do you?" he asked hesitantly.

Abba set the photo aside and shrugged his shoulders tiredly. "I was hoping so, but if it is, it's not much to go off of."

"So what's the next move?" Grandpa asked after another pause.

Abba stood from the chair and paced back and forth the room for a couple seconds before stopping, facing Grandpa with a determined look in his eye. "If this is some clue as to where she is, then we have to go to Paris. Well, Israel first, then Paris."

Grandpa patted Abba on the arm and smiled. "If there's anyone who can find her, it's you Junior."

Abba's eyes softened and he nodded, clutching the picture once more and beginning to stuff it back in the frame.

"Goodnight, son. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

With that, Abba turned and headed back to the hallway where Tali was hiding. If she wasn't so tired, she would have been able to conceal herself or run back without getting caught out of bed, but the soft voices in the living room had been lulling her back to sleep while she was still peeking out from around the corner. Although they had been talking in a language that was not her native tongue, she had caught the gist of the conversation. Abba thought Ima was out there still. They _were_ going to be a family, just like Ima had promised.

"Woah, my little ninja!" Abba said, nearly running into Tali. "Sneaking out of bed, are we?"

"Ima?" Tali asked, ignoring Abba's question. He knelt down and lifted her into his arms.

"We're gonna find her, Tali," he whispered into her ear as she nuzzled in close. "If she's out there, we'll find your Ima."

Abba was about to take Tali back to her crib, but suddenly stopped and turned back to Grandpa. "Actually, Dad, could you put Tali back to bed? I need to talk to Gibbs, and I'd like to do it sooner than later."

Gibbs. Tali thought back to the day before in the big orange room. She never did get to properly meet him.

Grandpa agreed immediately and started the process of getting out of the overly springy bed. "What are you going to tell him?"

Abba checked his watch and thought for a moment. "Not the full truth. Just that I have to leave. But if his gut is as good as he claims it is, he has his doubts too." Abba bounced Tali on his knee, nervous energy pulsating through him.

"You can trust him, why don't you let him help you?"

Abba pulled Tali into his side and gave her a little squeeze, ensuring that she felt safe and comfortable. His eyes said it all.

Tali knew the look well. Ima always had the same look in her eyes when things turned serious. He wanted to protect Tali, no matter what the cost. Tali gave him a reassuring smile.

"The less everyone knows, the better. There are dangerous people in the world that have made enemies with the David family. If she is alive, she may be in danger. It's probably best to keep up the charade as long as possible."

Again, Grandpa nodded his head, sighing and leaning back on the sofa bed. "If it were any girl but Ziva, I'd think you were crazy for going through all this trouble. She's one heck of a woman."

Abba smiled, a beaming, brilliant grin, but one laced with the fear that he could be wrong. "She sure is. Right Tali?" he turned to ask in a silly voice. "We love Ima, yes?"

Tali's eyelids were getting heavy again, but she smiled a matching smile and nodded. " _Ken,_ Abba."

Abba seemed to notice Tali's exhaustion, though he didn't seem tired a bit. "Thanks for your help, Dad. I'll be back in about an hour. Gibbs isn't much of a talker, so it won't take long." Grandpa laughed at that and helped Tali to stand, grabbing her smaller hand in his and starting the trek back to the bedroom.

"You know, I used to love putting your daddy to bed when he was your age," Grandpa was saying as he lifted Tali into her crib. "His mother and I would sing songs to him, and before we were even finished, he would be out like a light."

Grandpa's soft, mellow voice was absolutely enchanting. His singing of ' _You Are My Sunshine'_ barely registered before Tali drifted back to sleep.

 **-.-.-**

 **Okay, hopefully this is less of a mess now. More chapters hopefully coming soon, so stay tuned! Sorry they took so long!**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


	8. Chapter 8: Daddy-Daughter Day

**Here's the other chapter I tweaked. Next one will be a new one!**

 **-.-.-**

Tali awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and excited to start the day. Yesterday had been so full of tears, that it was a relief to feel some peace. As she peeked over the edge of the crib, she noticed that Abba was not in his bed. Not a problem. Just like she had the night before, she shimmied over the railing and let herself drop to the floor, taking Kelev with her.

She toddled into the living room, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, and found Grandpa with a cup of coffee in his hands as he read the newspaper on the couch. "Boker tov!" she greeted, coming to sit next to Grandpa.

"Morning, sweetheart," Grandpa replied. "Your daddy had to take care of a few things at work, but he'll be back soon. Why don't we have some breakfast?"

Tali nodded enthusiastically. Glancing around the kitchen, Tali spotted a banana sitting on the table. "NANA!" she said excitedly, pointing at the yellow fruit. That had to be her favorite English word to say…and her favorite fruit, for that matter.

Grandpa chuckled as he peeled the banana and gave it to her. "What do you say I make some French toast? Kind of fitting, right? You've got a lot of travel coming up in the next few weeks."

Tali smiled through a mouthful of banana. She had no idea what Grandpa was talking about, but she was all for it. His jolly mood was infectious.

Abba made it home just in time for breakfast to be served. "Where's my little Tali-kins?" he called out playfully as he came through the door carrying a big heavy box of stuff. His smile lit up his face like the one in the picture of him and Ima.

"Come join us for breakfast, Junior!" Grandpa responded from the table where he and Tali were sitting. Tali kicked her legs in excitement. She had no idea what she and Abba would do today, but she was very excited to get going.

"Abba! Nana!" she said proudly, holding up the yellow fruit.

Abba smiled and nodded his head. "That's right, Tali. Banana!" Abba grabbed a banana of his own and held it up to his ear. "Hello? Is anybody there?"

Tali caught on to his little game very quickly, holding (what was left of her banana) up to her own head. "Shalom Abba!" she responded in a fit of giggles.

Abba's eyes got a little teary, but he brushed them off quickly, his smile never wavering. "Yes, shalom, Tali. How would you like to go to the park today, little missy?"

Tali squealed. She LOVED the park. There was a really neat one about 30 minutes away from their house in Israel that Ima would take her to whenever she could. "Yes! Park!" Tali said in English, making Abba grin even more.

"Then it's settled," Abba declared, setting the banana back down on the counter and grabbing a plate of French toast for himself. "Eat fast so we can get dressed and go!"

"Okay!" Tali said loudly in response with a mouthful of toast. Abba and Grandpa shared a knowing look, shaking their heads at her poor manners while eating.

-.-.-

"One arm in…" Abba said, helping Tali with her shirt. "And… oh no! Where's your other arm?" Tali giggled, pushing her other arm through the hole in the shirt. "Oh, phew. There it is!" Abba kissed Tali's little hand before helping her with her shorts and socks as well. He had picked out a striped shirt that flared out and a pair of comfy shorts to go with it. Perfect for playtime.

Grandpa helped get her shoes on while Abba got the stroller ready. Soon, they were packing into the car and heading out to the nearest park. Grandpa decided to stay behind. Tali wished he would come too, but she was looking forward to spending time playing with Abba. This was something she had dreamed of for so long.

"Fast!" Tali shouted from the backseat as they drove down the street.

Abba cast an amused glance in the rearview mirror at Tali. "Yeah, we are going fast," he said.

Tali shook her head. "No. _FAST!_ " she said, emphasizing the word.

Abba seemed to understand now. He chuckled and nodded. "You want to go faster, don't you?"

That was it. Tali smiled a devious little smile, her head bouncing up and down. "Ken, Abba. Fast-er!"

Abba obliged, at least for a moment. Tali giggled uncontrollably and let out playful squeals of excitement. She loved watching the scenery go by in a blur. After a short burst of speed, Abba went back to driving the way he was before, but Tali was happy with that.

"You're definitely Ziva's daughter," Abba said, a loving smile gracing his face.

At last they arrived at the park. It wasn't overly busy, but there were a few other little kids playing around.

Abba had his hand clasped tightly around Tali's as they walked from their car to the playground. Tali couldn't wait to go down the big slide. She bounded excitedly alongside Abba, who was walking much too slow for her liking. He seemed to be surveying the area as they approached. Ima always did the same thing wherever they went.

"Play!" Tali said, trying to wriggle free of Abba's grip.

Abba released her hand and she sprinted toward the ladder that went up to the playset. Abba jogged close behind, holding a hand protectively behind her back just in case she fell. Tali knew she wouldn't fall. She was _very_ good at climbing.

"Be careful, Tali!" Abba shouted once she had gone beyond his arm's reach. "Watch your step!"

Silly Abba. He followed Tali around like a little puppy wherever she went, trying to stay as close to her as possible. At last, Tali decided to try the slide. Abba waited at the bottom, arms outstretched and ready to catch her.

"Go ahead, Tali," Abba encouraged.

Tali sat down, rearing to go. "Okay, Abba!" With that she propelled herself downward, squeals of delight escaping her as she slid down the slide.

Abba lifted Tali into the air as she reached the bottom and plopped her gently back on the ground. Tali giggled uncontrollably. "-GIN, AGAIN!" she said through her laughter.

"Oh, alright," Abba agreed, shooing her off to the stairs to have another turn.

After a couple more slides, Abba lifted her into his arms, tickling her sides until she was in another fit of giggles.

He stopped, however, at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. "You're very good with her."

Tali looked over Abba's shoulder to see who had spoken, and locked eyes with a very pretty woman with straight blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail. Abba, too, spun around to meet the random woman.

"Thank you," Abba said in response after a few awkward seconds.

The woman smiled, standing a little too close for normal interaction with strangers. "I'm Stephanie, nice to meet you," she said, forcing her hand into Abba's and shaking it. "And what's your name?" she cooed to Tali. Tali did not want to answer. This lady was being weird, and Tali didn't know her. Abba didn't seem to know her either.

"Her name is Tali," Abba answered for her as Tali shied away.

"How old is she?"

Abba answered again, this time a little hesitantly. "Uh, she's…she's almost two."

"Wow!" she exclaimed much more enthusiastically than necessary. "My little one just turned three. You know, you don't see many dads here at the park."

Abba seemed unsure whether she expected a response to that.

"Where is her mother?" Stephanie asked, sliding even closer to Abba, who promptly took a step back.

"She's, uh…" Abba stammered, stepping back again and clutching Tali tightly. "She just passed away," he answered, and seemed to immediately regret his choice of words. Tali knew that Abba thought Ima was still out there, though, so she wasn't too worried. They were going to be together very soon!

Stephanie (unsuccessfully) tried to hide her satisfaction with Abba's answer. "Oh, that's too bad!" she said, twirling her hair around her finger. "Well, maybe some time you and I could—"

Abba interrupted her. "No…No, sorry. I'm not… I'm not interested. We've got to… I've got to… Excuse me." With that terribly uncoordinated sentence, Abba turned and started walking to the car.

Tali looked back at the park in confusion. "Play?" she asked.

"Maybe another time, Tali," Abba responded. "We've got to pack for the airport anyway. Tomorrow we're gonna go see Aunt Nettie and Shmeil in Israel."

Tali shrieked. "SHMEIL!"

Abba chuckled. "Yes, yes. Shmeil, the man of steel. You David girls love your Shmeil, don't you?"

Tali began to babble excitedly in Hebrew about all the fun she's had with Shmeil as Abba put her back in her car seat.

"Hey, why don't we stop by the mall to pick out some movies for you to watch on the plane?" Abba suggested. Tali nodded enthusiastically.

After a short car ride, Tali was in her stroller gliding through the mall with Abba. As they walked, Abba looked at his watch and suggested they get something to eat for lunch. Tali couldn't have agreed more. Her tummy was rumbling.

They stopped at a stand and Abba handed some money over to pay for the food. The woman working handed Abba a huge soft pretzel, and Tali licked her lips in anticipation.

Abba moved to sit on a bench, with Tali facing him in her stroller just like she had on their walk with Uncle McGee. Whatever Abba was eating, it looked yummy. Unable to wait any longer, Tali grabbed the food out of his hands and took a big bite, proudly grinning up at Abba with her mouth full. He was left with his mouth half open, posing to take a bite of his own.

"You know, your Ima used to do that," Abba said with a laugh, closing his mouth and taking back the food. "You could have just _asked_." With that, Abba broke off a piece for Tali to nibble on, and continued eating his own.

Tali loved it. "Mmmm…" she hummed as she chewed.

"You like that pretzel?" Abba asked, amused by Tali's eating habits. Tali nodded in response.

After their small lunch, Abba and Tali were back on the move. At the video store, he picked out just about every Disney movie there was. Tali couldn't wait to watch them.

On their way out of the mall, Tali spotted something shiny out of the corner of her eye.

"Di-nend!" she shouted, pointing to the right at a big store with lots of shiny necklaces.

Abba stopped the stroller. "Diamond?" he asked, "You like diamonds?"

Tali nodded. "Ken!" Ima had a small bag full of them at home. Tali hardly ever saw them, only when Ima had to get something out of the safe that she kept in her closet. Ima always told her that they were only in case of emergencies, but Tali wasn't sure what that meant. She just thought they were pretty.

"Well," Abba spoke, smiling uncontrollably. "I'm gonna give your Ima the best diamond ever as soon as we find her, how does that sound?"

"YEAH!" Tali squealed.

Abba's eyes looked a little watery as he gazed at Tali. There was something about his expression that just radiated happiness. He looked hopeful. "I'll show it to you when we get home."

-.-.-

The door shut behind them as Tony and Tali finally returned home from their outing. Grandpa was wiping down the kitchen counters when Tali bounded in there to see him and give him a hug.

"There you are, Tali! How was the park?"

"Could have done without the yoga pants-wearing single moms following us everywhere we went," Abba answered, shaking his head.

Grandpa laughed. "I never thought I'd hear you say that sentence, Junior."

"Never really thought I'd be saying it either," Abba agreed.

Tali and Grandpa came out of the kitchen and into the living room with Abba. He was knelt down next to the coffee table, rummaging through the box Tali had seen him bring in that morning during breakfast. He glanced up at Tali once he saw her enter the room. "Wanna see that diamond I told you about?" he asked, a grin spreading from ear to ear as he spoke.

Tali rushed to his side and peeked into the box along with him, seeing nothing but a few magazines with girls in swimsuits on the front, and some other miscellaneous items.

Abba, however, pulled out a little black box. Tali watched, eyes wide, as he opened it slowly and revealed a shiny silver ring with the most beautiful diamond perched on top.

"Oooh," Tali breathed, her smile matching Abba's.

Abba plucked the ring out of the case and held it out for Tali to see better. "You think Ima will like it?" he asked.

"YEAH!" Tali was quick to answer. Just for fun, Abba placed the ring on Tali's much-too-small finger.

Grandpa was standing close by, his eyes shimmering as he watched the scene. "Your mother would be so proud, Anthony."

"She would have liked Ziva," Abba added, a somber silence filling the room. Grandpa nodded. "Well, Tali. I think it's about time for a nap, what do you think?" Abba spoke after a few moments. Tali couldn't really argue with that. It had been a busy day, and she was still adjusting to the time.

As she fell asleep in her crib, Tali remembered the time, not too long ago, when she had walked into Ima's closet to find her knelt on the ground in front of the safe. She had been staring at the bag of diamonds for several moments before she gently picked one up and held it over her finger. Tali snuck away before Ima noticed her watching, but there was something about the look in her eye…

Tali couldn't wait until they were all together, just as Ima had promised.

 **-.-.-**

 **So we have some hope, but still a little uncertainty. Tony's got a good gut though, so ;)**

 **Thanks for reading (or rereading)!**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


End file.
